Past
by LeesaCrakon
Summary: Pre-Books. AU. Horace's prophetic dreams don't just reveal the future, they also let him see into the past. Because of this, Horace knows almost everything about the other children in the home, except for one. Hugh's past has never appeared in any of Horace's visions, but Horace knows the older boy is hiding something. (Hugh's physical appearance is 16 and Horace's is 13)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
Horace held great confidence in his seer abilities, no matter how much he was afraid of them. Both the future and the past held so much, and Horace learned a lot from them. His peculiarity was a curse at times, but also a gift. Because he could see the past, Horace knew everything about his fellow peculiars. In fact, he could almost compare the study of his visions about their pasts to Millard's studies of the activities outside the loop. He knew the names of their parents and siblings (f the had any), their favorite foods and hobbies, their talents, their favorite classes in school, their best memories, and their worst memories. It never ceased to astound Horace how detailed and yet, how /simple/ the other children's lives had been before they discovered their peculiarities and fled to the loop. But there was one thing that troubled him. Hugh had never appeared in any of Horace's visions.

As Horace ate silently that night while the others talked and laughed amongst themselves, he couldn't keep his eyes off of Hugh. The older teen also ate in silence, keeping a net over his head so he could let out his bees without disturbing the other children. He wore his usual dark glasses despite the fact that the dining hall was dimly lit, something that had always stirred curiosity in Horace. His attitude and appearance would always change abruptly when he was with Fiona or a few of the other boys than when he was with all if the peculiars.

Hugh had a short temper and was never afraid to express himself, but he was always quiet when with the others, and the only time Horace had caught him without his glasses was when he and Fiona had been alone together in the parlour, but he'd only seen the back of his head. All if his other observations of the bee man had also been fruitless. Sighing in frustration, Horace pushed his plateaway and buried his head in his hands. He could see that Hugh wasn't what he seemed, and it frustrated him so! He wanted to help him, even if he would look ridiculous.  
"Horace? Are you alright?" Miss Peregrine asked her ward, worry ringing clear in her tone. Horace quickly snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at his head mistress, feeling slightly dazed. Blinking, he rubbed his eyes and sighed. His dreams that were waking him up at night were starting to catch up with him. He failed to notice the worried glance Hugh gave him as he got up from his seat.

"I'm perfectly alright Miss Peregrine, I just... need to..." Horace's voice trailed off and he groaned, clutching his head. The whole room was spinning, making him dizzy. His head throbbed and he fell to his knees, still clutching his head and groaning. Flashes of images danced across his vision, joined by garbled voices. _Oh, bloody hell..._ Horace thought before collapsing on the floor. Hugh immediately shot up out of his seat and scrambled over to the fallen boy, checking him hurriedly for any injuries.

"He's alright, I already checked," a floating hat, or Millard, said pointedly. Hugh nodded a bit and hesitated slightly before gently picking him up and cradling him in his arms. Horace was shivering his forehead beaded with sweat. He murmured in his sleep and buried his face in Hugh's chest, clinging to him. Hugh blushed lightly in embarrassment but it was soon forgotten when Horace let out a shriek and thrashed about for a moment, shouting something about burning worlds and pestilence before going limp again.

"I-I'll take him to his room," Hugh muttered, glad that his goggles hid the worry in his eyes. Miss Peregrine nodded in agreement before shooing them off, trying to comfort the children who had begun to wail and Horace's unexpected episode. Hugh trekked up the creaky stairs as carefully as he could, trying not to jostle the shaking boy in his arms. Upon entering Horace's room, Hugh quickly set him on his bed and pulled the blankets over him. Horace would probably kill him later for not removing his suit and letting it get ruined, but Hugh could only damage his pride so much. Letting his bees out to cover the window so the room was a little darker, Hugh pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. Whenever Horace had an episode, Miss Peregrine always requested that someone stayed with him until he awakened.

Hugh tilted his head slightly as he studied the sleeping boy. Horace looked so innocent and young curled up under the blankets, just how someone his age should. It made Hugh sad honestly, even though he didn't know the prophetic boy that well. Sighing, he sat back against the chair, resting his elbows on his knees so he could prop up his chin in his hands, and tried to keep himself awake.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Horace had never dreamed like this before. He was surrounded entirely by blackness and faint shapes, no sound or light in any part of his vision. He squinted at the shapes, which were starting to move slightly. There were about three of them, all of them appearing humanoid. He faintly recognized the faint buzzing in his ears as low whispers. He sighed in relief as the image before him cleared and then gasped, his eyes wide. The four figures were of a married couple and their sons, a small boy about 6 years old with slicked back black hair, merry hazel eyes, and square glasses that just barely sat on the edge of his nose. The other looked like an older, ten year old copy of the boy, but his hair was a light brown and curly, like his mother's. The four of them were sitting around a table eating breakfast. The little boy was happily spooning globs of a yellow liquid into his mouth, content.

"Hugh Frederick Apiston, if you eat that entire jar of honey by yourself you're going to get a horrid stomach ache!" the woman scolded in a thick Irish accent, the flowers on the table beginning to wilt as she grew annoyed. I gasped and my eyes widened. This was Hugh's past? It must've been. I blinked and chuckled softly as the young Hugh pouted and folded his arms across his chest, the spoon dripping golden honey onto the table from its position in his hands.

"But mum," he whined, his British accent emphasizing his reluctance, "it's so good! Please can I keep eating it?" he said almost begging. Mrs. Apiston shook her head, a slight smile spreading across her features. Hugh sighed and put the cap back on the jar, getting up and waddling over to a cupboard and sticking the jar inside. The older boy sniggered and turned back to his toast. Hugh plopped back into his chair and scowled at him, sticking out his tongue. A lone bee flew out of his mouth and straight for the boy's face.

"Take that, Liam!" Hugh sneered at the boy, apparently Liam shrieked and swatted wildly at the bee. Hugh gasped as Liam took off one of his shoes and swatted at the bee again, a slight smirk on his lips. Hugh screeched as the shoe came down on top of the bee with a loud smack.

"You killed him, Liam! You killed Henry! He wasn't going to hurt you or anything! And you killed him!" Hugh cried, his lip quivering. The bee's wing twitched feebly and Hugh sniffed, gently picking up the bee and setting it in his palm. He looked up at Liam with round, begging, imploring, and tear filled eyes. A silent conversation seemed to occur between the two when Liam snickered and shook his head, turning away from his brother. Hugh started to cry silently and stroked the bee with his finger as gently as he could. Mr. Apiston sighed and set down his morning paper, glaring sternly at Hugh's older brother. Horace shook his head in amazement. They acted as if Hugh's peculiarity was normal.

"Liam, fix Hugh's bee," he commanded, his eye twitching slightly and a gentle wind starting to pick up around him. Liam shook his head and pushed his glasses up his nose, clearly annoyed. "No. He has hundreds more, why should I? Besides, he was going to sting me!" Liam retorted. Hugh growled angrily and shook his head vigorously, shoving his hands in Liam's face.

"That's a lie and you know it! Henry wouldn't sting unless he absolutely has to! He's one if my sweetest friends! And besides, I wouldn't have let him if he wanted too! All of my bees know about your allergies!" Hugh exclaimed, and he started to sniffle again. "Please fix him... He was my first bee," Hugh said softly. Liam shifted uncomfortably and tried to avoid Hugh's heartbroken eyes. Eventually he sighed and took the bed from Hugh, setting in his palm. He closed his eyes and the bee glowed briefly before flying off of his hand and landing on the tip of his nose. Liam swallowed and seemed to hold his breath as the bee sat there. Hugh giggled and opened his mouth for Henry to fly back into. When that was done, he smiled.

"That's Henry's way of saying he likes you!" Hugh said triumphantly, making Horace chuckle a bit. Liam rolled his eyes and stared at the table, but a satisfied smile could be seen. Mrs. Apiston smiled at the two boys affectionately before the scene faded. Horace was once again in the darkness.

To say Horace was surprised was an understatement. He was honestly in complete and utter shock. Hugh had never, ever talked about his family, which didn't surprise him much, but what really shocked him was that the entire family seemed to have peculiarities! Liam obviously had the ability to heal. Mrs. Apiston must have had the ability to manipulate plants since the flowers wilted when she grew annoyed, and the same for Mr. Apiston, but with wind. As Millard had stated numerous times in the past, it was extremely rare for two peculiars to have a peculiar child, let alone two! Horace shook his head in amazement, waiting for the next part of his vision.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
Hugh was still young, about ten, but his eyes held a certain maturity no ten year old should have. Liam sat beside him under an oak tree, picking at the grass around them. Horace noted that he still had his regular glasses, not the black ones he had questioned multiple times. He also noted that Hugh's face was streaked with tears and Liam had moved closer to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Everything will be alright, Hugh. You shouldn't listen to them," Liam soothed, hesitating before holding Hugh close and resting his head on his. Hugh sniffled and nuzzled into Liam's chest, his small hands trying to wipe away his tears. He was about to speak, but his tears started to fall faster and he sobbed. Liam grimaced and pulled him into his lap, cradling him in his arms and running a hand through his hair in an attempt to comfort him. Hugh's bees swarmed around the two of them, buzzing sadly. Horace swallowed, feeling like an intruder on such a delicate moment. He backed away and sat against a tree, his back to Hugh and his brother. He peeked around the edge though, not wanting to miss anything important.

"B-But...But they c-called me a witch! A-And they h-hurt me!" Hugh sobbed, clinging to Liam like a lifeline. Horace's face paled when Hugh's shirt lifted slightly, revealing a blood stained bandage wrapped around his frail body. At first, Horace was horrified. But as he saw the pain in little Hugh's eyes and the occasional gasp that horror slowly turned to rage. He was angry at the people who had hurt Hugh, a small boy, who had no control over the fact that he was peculiar! Hugh didn't deserve to be hurt, in any way. Clearly, Horace wasn't the only one who was pissed off by this, pardon his language. Liam's eyes widened in shock and he glanced down at his brother.

"Do you mind telling me what happened?" Liam asked, his hand beginning to shake against Hugh's chest. Hugh's breathing was growing heavy and he was still crying, and he managed to nod weakly. Horace leaned against a tree and cocked his head slightly, listening closely. This information may or may not be useful in the future. Hugh whimpered before he began.

"I was pollinating my b-bees and a group of kids from school... they saw... and..." Hugh started to sob and couldn't continue, his body shaking as he collapsed against Liam pitifully. Horace bit his lip, trying to fight back tears as Liam moved his hand from Hugh's chest and held him close, murmuring unintelligibly and rocking back and forth slightly. The scene faded and Horace let out a choked sob, hugging himself and trying not to lose all self control. Horace came to a horrific conclusion. Hugh's quietness and reluctance to use his peculiarity in large groups, flinching when someone accidentally bumped into or touched him, it added up! It all added up... He was scared of being hurt. Why he still manifested that fear in a group of his own kind Horace had figured out as well. Whatever those other children had done to Hugh was enough to scare him out of his mind. Wiping his tears with a shaking hand and getting to his feet, Horace awaited the next portion of his dream.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
Hugh was curled up under his bed, shaking violently as crashes and screams echoed through the house. Horace watched in horror as the screams were suddenly silenced, and the floor boards of Hugh's home groaned loudly as something big lumbered towards his bedroom. Panting, Hugh went farther under his bed until he was pressed against the wall. Horace gasped and let out a shriek as something that could only be a hollow lumbered into the doorway of Hugh's room, dragging its feet and sniffing around. Hugh was staring directly at it, but wasn't seeing it.

Horace's fists clenched in both fear and anger as the hollow's tentacle like tongues darted out, searching the room. Hugh's eyes darted around, searching for the creature that was just inches away. One of the numerous tongues began to search under the bed. Hugh screamed as it wrapped around his ankle and started to drag him out from under his bed, more tongues darting out to join it. Hugh thrashed and sobbed, trying to wrestle away from the unseen enemy. Horace felt faint and probably would've passed out cold if this wasn't just a vision.

When Hugh was close enough to the hollow it grabbed him with its claw like hands, digging them into his stomach and slashing at his face. Hugh's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he let out a strangled, pained scream. The hollow's dragged his claws across Hugh's chest, creating huge gashes in Hugh's chest and rib cage, causing bees to burst out of Hugh's open mouth along with a a steady trail of blood. The tears came back into Horace's eyes and he had to look away. Even though he knew that Hugh would survive, he couldn't watch.  
A loud cry made Horace shivered and he tried to resist the urge to look, but he peeked through his fingers anyway. Liam was on the hollow's back, stabbing it repeatedly with a pair of safety scissors, covering himself in the monster's black blood. The hollow screeched and let go of Hugh, who had fainted dead away from blood loss and pain. Liam let out ,what could be the equivalent of an Indian war cry and drove the scissors through the hollow's skull. The creature let out a startled screech before crumpling to the ground in a heap. Liam rushed over Hugh, shaking so badly he dropped the scissors. Hyperventilating, Liam scooped Hugh into his arms, holding him tightly. Hugh's mangled body was barely breathing, twitching weakly in Liam's shaking arms. His stomach was slashed open and bleeding profusely, and a long, deep scratched crossed over both of his eyes. They were slightly open, revealing their milky appearance.

"H-Hugh, wake up!" Liam screamed, shaking Hugh as tears streamed down his face. Hugh remained still, and his breathing was beginning to slow until his chest barely rose at all. Liam's eyes widened in panic and he quickly rested his hands on Hugh's chest, eyes clenched shut as his fingers began to glow. Hugh's wounds slowly began to heal and Horace sighed with relief. It wasn't long lasted though, as Hugh began to cough, blood spurting out of his mouth and down his chin, his blind eyes open wide.

"N-No...No!" Liam sobbed, channeling as much energy as he could into Hugh's body. He began to slump with exhaustion as he was steadily drained, trying with all his might to bring Hugh back. Hugh's coughs slowly died down and he started to cry, reaching out blindly to Liam. Liam grabbed Hugh's hand and squeezed it reassuringly, trying to stop himself from crying.

"L-Lee... I can't see. I can't see!" Hugh screamed, shaking with panic. Liam grimaced gently closed Hugh's eyes, resting his thumbs on them. Horace watched closely as Liam murmured softly into Hugh's ear, the tips of his thumbs glowing. Hugh relaxed slightly, but he still whimpered softly.

"M-Mum and D-Dad... What happened to them?" Hugh managed to choke out. Liam tensed and shook his head. Pulling his thumbs away, he pulled Hugh close.

"They didn't make it. The monster killed them."

"No!" Horace gasped, falling to his knees in shock as the scene abruptly faded and began to change. How? How could Hugh's parent's have died?! It wasn't fair... All of the other children hadn't suffered like this. Most of them had never even encountered a hollowgast, let alone be injured by one! As the next scene began to appear, Horace wiped his eyes on his sleeve and stood back up.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
Hugh was older now, about fourteen years old, and his milky eyes were covered by Hugh's familiar goggles. He waded through a field of wild flowers, his hands shoved deep into his pants' pockets. He glanced around quickly as if he were making sure he was alone. Stopping in the middle field so that he was surrounded by daisies and violets, Hugh's lips tugged into a slight smile and he opened his mouth as wide as it could go. A decently sized stream of bumble and honey bees spewed out of his mouth and hurriedly began pollinating the flowers. Hugh's face twisted and he coughed, a few more bees popping out of his mouth. After bidding his bees a temporary goodbye, Hugh strolled through the field, softly whistling a familiar Welsh lullaby. All Through the Night, Horace assumed. Hugh's whistle slowly became a hum, and then he was singing gently.

"Sleep my child, let peace attend thee all through the night. Guardian Angels will watch ore thee all through the night..." Hugh's voice trailed off and he sighed, looking down at the ground. He cleared his throat and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Fee! Are you there?" he called, his voice carrying over the field. Horace's brow furrowed. Was Fee the same person as Fiona...? Sure enough,a head of wild hair poked up from the flowers, and the owner had a huge grin on her face.

"I didn't think you were comin', Hugh!" Fiona chirped in her thick Irish accent, hopping up from the flowers and giving Hugh a hug. Horace smiled, pleasant surprised. Fiona was a lot more outgoing than she was at the house. "Do you like the violets? I thought your bees would enjoy them!" Fiona said. Hugh blushed a little and nodded, but his blank eyes were sad. Fiona's brow furrowed and she cupped his face in her hands, studying it.

"Are those gits bothering you again about your parents' deaths?!" Fiona snarled, and Horace felt a scowl of his own forming on his face. Hugh swallowed and nodded a bit, taking Fiona's hands off of his face. He gave her a strained smile, clearly saying he didn't want to talk about it. Fiona sighed and embraced him, resting her head in his shoulder.

"I wish you would confide in me more. I'm your best friend lad, whether you like it or not. And for goodness sake, stop acting like a mute. That's my job," Fiona muttered with a sigh. Hugh blinked and hugged her back hesitantly, resting his chin on top of her head. Horace felt a sharp pang in his chest as he watched the two of them, as he saw the hopelessness in Hugh's eyes and the determination in Fiona's. Letting go of Hugh, Fiona straightened to her full height and gripped his shoulders tightly, fixing a cold stare on him. Hugh fidgeted slightly, glancing at anything but her.

"This may not change anything, in fact you may hate me, but I want you to know why I care about you the way I do and why I want you to trust me," she said, slightly nervous. Hugh tilted his head slightly, looking in her general direction with curiosity. Fiona took a deep breath and placed her hands on his shoulders. She leaned forward, her eyes shut tight. Horace watched with wide eyes as Fiona gently pressed her and Hugh's lips together for a brief moment before quickly pulling away, her face beet red. Hugh stared straight ahead, his eyes glazed over and his mouth hanging open in shock. Fiona quickly let go of Hugh and backed away, embarrassed.

"I-I...I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry!" Fiona squeaked, turning to run the other way. Hugh's eyes flashed with panic and he ran after her. "Wait!" he cried, stumbling blindly before grabbing Fiona by the wrist. Horace blinked in surprise at his forwardness. Fiona stood still but refused to look him in the eye. Hugh let go of her wrist and wrapped his arms around her waist, turning her to face him. Keeping one arm around her waist, he tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. Fiona gasped in surprise, but she quickly relaxed, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his neck. Horace smiled and turned away, giving the two some privacy. To his surprise, the scene began to fade. He turned back to see Fiona and Hugh with their foreheads together and their noses just barely touching, Hugh sporting a small smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The scene faded moments later to reveal Liam, Fiona, and Hugh in a graveyard, Hugh holding a small bouquet of lilies. Liam and Hugh were dressed in all black suits whilst Fiona wore a black lacy dress, as if they were in mourning. Hugh knelt down in front of a joint-grave, inscribed with two unreadable names. At least, they were unreadable from where Horace stood. With a trembling hand, Hugh set the lilies on the grave before placing a kiss on his finger tips and pressing them against the cool granite of the headstone.  
"We can't stay here," Hugh said hoarsely, getting back to his feet. "The creature that killed mother and father... it'll come after us next," he added, nodding slightly in Liam's direction. Liam's fists clenched and he pursed his lips, taking a shaky breath before returning Hugh's nod in agreement.

"I've already prepared for that. Suitcases are all packed, I have enough food for the three of us, and Fiona's parents think that she's coming to help us find a home," Liam said softly. Fiona blinked in surprised, but quickly smiled and took Hugh's hand. His head shifted her way slightly as he glanced at her, a tear rolling down his cheek from behind his darkened glasses.

"I'm sorry you have to leave Fee, but I don't want anything to happen to you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if... if you..." Hugh's voice trailed off and he bent his head down towards his feet, his grip on her hand tightening and his shoulders shaking slightly. Fiona smiled sadly and pulled him into a gentle side hug, kissing his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.

"We mustn't waste valuable time. We need to leave as soon as possible," Liam said hurriedly, glancing around as if he sensed something was amiss and grabbed Hugh by the collar of his shirt. Hugh yelped slightly as he and Fiona were dragged off towards Liam's car, stumbling a bit blindly and clinging to Fiona and Liam to keep from falling. Horace exhaled shakily as the scene began to fade, not realizing that he had been holding his breath. So far, he'd learned more about Hugh in a space of an hour than he had in a decade. He supposed that things could only get better from here...right?


	7. Chapter 7

Horace had never been more wrong. As a new scene appeared, it revealed the three teens running for their lives. Hugh was gripping Fiona's hand so tightly his knuckles were white, and he held the back of Liam's brown leather jacket in a tight fist to keep himself from getting lost. His glasses had gotten lost, revealing the scars around his clouded eyes.

"We have to do something or it's going to kill us! We can't outrun it for long!" Hugh said, screaming as the trees and underbrush behind them seemed to be disturbed by an invisible force. Horace screamed as Fiona was suddenly yanked backwards, her own cries of distress muffled as she was dragged back through.

"Fiona! Oh my God, where is she?!" Hugh cried, blindly groping around for Fiona's lost hand. His face paled in realization and he let go of Liam's jacket, using his limited bit of sight to try and guide him back through the trees. "Hugh, it's not worth it! Just leave her!" Liam shouted, his expression filled with panic as his little brother plunged into the woods. Horace watched in horror as he stayed put, not moving an inch until he'd lost sight of him.

Horace ran after Hugh, not wanting to miss anything important. When he finally caught up to the young teen, he had collapsed on all fours. His teeth were gritted in pain and his right leg was caught underneath a tree root, bent at an odd angle. Horace had to fight back the bile rising in his throat as Hugh shakily got to his feet, fighting back tears of pain and limping as fast as he could in the direction Fiona had disappeared.

"No! No, please! S-Stop!" a voice suddenly wailed, followed by a series of pained screams. Hugh's head snapped up and he ran faster. "FIONA! FIONA, WHERE ARE YOU?!" he screamed, tears welling up in his eyes as Fiona's sobbing and screaming only grew louder. Horace followed Hugh with his hands clamped over his ears, shaking in horror.

"Hugh! Hugh, help me!" Fiona screamed, obviously hearing his distressed voice. Hugh sped up as much as he could and ran towards her voice, the tears he had been holding back now running down his cheeks. He skidded to a stop in an area cleared up trees. Fiona laid in the center in a bloodied heap, clutching her throat and twitching, tears streaming down her face. Hugh stumbled forward and collapsed to his knees, scooping her up in his arms and gently moving her hair away from her face.

"F-Fee...Fee, talk to me!" Hugh choked out as Fiona's eyes began to droop. "N-No! Come on... _Come_ _on, don't leave me!_ Fiona!" Hugh cried out in distress as her body went limp. He sobbed and buried his head in her bloodied shoulder, his entire form shaking. Horace bit his lip sharply and fought back the stinging sensation growing in his eyes. Everything was going to be fine... Fiona was alive now, she would be okay.

"H-Hugh..." Fiona gasped, breathing rapidly. Hugh shushed her and cupped her face in his hands, kissing her forehead softly. "Don't talk. I know you're alive...save your strength," Hugh said softly. Fiona shook her head, becoming more and more agitated as the minutes dragged on.

"Here," she rasped. "St-Still... here." Fiona whimpered, weakly raising a finger. Hugh looked behind him, his eyes widening in fear. A hollow stood on its haunches, Fiona's blood dripping from its jaws. It stared at them with its black, whiteless eyes, unmoving. Hugh gripped Fiona protectively, shaking slightly with fear.

 ** _To be continued..._**


	8. Chapter 8

The vision faded and the scene switched to a dark, small room. Hugh lay in the center strapped spread-eagle to a bed, his entire body shaking as he whimpered softly. A hollow, chained to the opposite wall, licked his legs and chest longingly as if trying to get a taste of him. Horace felt sick to his stomach when he saw the blood staining Hugh's white shirt. His bees were buzzing uncontrollably in his stomach and Hugh gave out an occasional gasp or moan when one accidentally stung him from their confines inside of him.

"You were so brave to trade yourself for the girl, young one. I'll be sure to inspect you thoroughly," a tall man said, coming out of the shadows. He wore a bloodied apron, had wild grey hair, and had eyes that were milky white. Horace's blood ran cold and he shook his head, backing away and staring at his friend with horror. Th wight stroked the side of Hugh's face possessively before tying a gag over his mouth and pulling a large box out from under the bed.

When the wight opened the box, Horace let out a strangled scream timed perfectly with Hugh's muffled one. The box was filled with rusted, bloody, various instruments of torture. Knives, saws, needles, they were all there. Hugh started to sob through his gag as the wight selected a particularly wicked looking knife with a serrated blade encrusted in the blood of its last few victims.

"Let's open you up, shall we?" the wight hissed, ripping Hugh's fragile shirt from his frame and slowly sinking the blade into his flesh, grinning wickedly. Hugh's eyes widened and he arched off the bed, screaming out in pain. Horace sank the ground, sobbing and clamping his hands over his ears. The wight cut through Hugh's chest and stomach, spraying something into Hugh's bees before scooping them out in handfuls and shoving them into jars. Hugh sobbed, tears of pain and grief streaming down his face. Horace couldn't stop screaming, his lungs empty.

This couldn't be happening, not to Hugh! Not to the boy with the bees that never had an unkind word to say to anyone!

Not to the boy that went out of his way to try to be friends with all of the children in the house, even stoic and grumpy Enoch.

Not the innocent boy that never questioned anything anyone said and believed whatever anyone had to say.

Not the boy that encouraged the younger children and helped them handle their peculiarities.

Not the sweet boy that cried over the death of an insect or a crushed flower.

This couldn't have happened to Hugh!

* * *

Hugh had just started to doze off, his eyes heavy and his bees buzzing sleepily in his stomach. it was early in the morning and Horace still hadn't woken up from his slightly fitful but otherwise uneventful slumber. A hoarse scream shook Hugh away and he leaped to his feet, his goggles sliding down his nose from how loose they were. Horace was thrashing in bed, his little body drenched with sweat. Tears were streaming down his face and it was twisted in horror and pain. His blankets were twisted around his legs as he writhed. Hugh's eyes widened and he approached his friend, his brother, and scooped him up in his arms. He sat on the bed and held Horace close, rubbing his back to soothe him and trying to wake him up.

"Horace, it's alright. Wake up now and it'll stop. Come on Horace," Hugh said, his voice cracking slightly as he saw his friend's fitful state. His face was pale and he was still crying, but his eyes slowly opened. "H-Hugh?!" Horace gasped, clinging to the 16-year-old's shirt and refusing to let go, still sobbing hysterically. High's eyes filled with tears as the boy he loved like a brother clung to him like a lifeline and cried, sobbing his very heart out. He continued to rock and rub his back, burying his face in Horace's soft blonde hair and breathing deeply.

"I;m right here, you don't have to be frightened. I'm not going anywhere," Hugh whispered. Horace's tears slowed but he still sobbed softly, burrowing his head in Hugh's chest and nuzzling closer to him. Hugh's grip on Horace tightened ever so slightly and he resisted the urge to cry himself. He needed to keep it together, if only for Horace. The poor lad was traumatized enough as it is.

"What's going on? Is everything alright?" Miss Peregrine said, bursting into the room. She stopped short when she saw the two boys clinging to each other, and her eyes filled with understanding. She settled down next to Hugh and tried to gently pry Horace from his arms, only to be startled by Horace's scream and his sobs to start up again. He clung to Hugh harder, shaking violently.

"D-Don't take me, Miss P! P-Please! I-I... I-I..." Horace choked on a sob and didn't finish his sentence, clinging to the front of Hugh's shirt. Hugh finally let a tear slip and looked up at his mentor with pleading eyes, as if begging her to make the poor boy's suffering come to an end. Miss Peregrine pursed her lips and placed a gentle hand on Horace's head, sweeping his sweaty hair from in front of his eyes.

"Alright, I won't take you, sweetheart. Can you come downstairs if Hugh carries you? Is that alright?" Miss Peregrine asked the sniveling boy. Horace looked up at Hugh with watery eyes and nodded slightly before resting his head on his chest again and letting out a shaky sigh.


	9. Chapter 9

Hugh carried the younger boy down the stairs, trying not to hit his head or legs against the railings of the staircase. Horace still clung to him, his arms wrapped around his neck and his face buried deep in his shoulder. Hugh's shirt was drenched with tears by now and Horace still hadn't stopped crying or shaking. A lump seemed to be lodged in Hugh's throat as he carried the young boy down into the parlor. The other children were already gathered there, looking at the two with wide eyes. Enoch was trying to help Miss Peregrine by keeping the younger children quiet and holding the twins' hands, and keeping his face stern.

"Come sit on the couch, Hugh. Can you tell us what your dream was Horace?" Miss Peregrine said, gently pushing some of the children out of the way so Hugh could get to the couch. When Hugh had sat down, Horace sat up and rested his head on his shoulder, keeping his eyes cast downward. He shook his head and Hugh's heart just about broke. He nuzzled his face in Horace's hair and pulled him closer, sighing softly.

"Horace, please. We want to help you. Tell us the dream," Hugh said, hoping that if he was the one to speak up, Horace might say something. The boy in his arms hesitated slightly before slowly moving out of his lap so that he could properly address all in the room, although he still leaned against Hugh as a sort of comfort. Hugh wrapped an arm around his shoulders and smiled at him encouragingly.

Horace swallowed hard before saying, "I dreamed about Hugh. His past, anyways." Hugh's breathing hitched and he stiffened, his eyes wide behind his goggles. He could feel himself start to shake, but he needed to stay calm. Fiona gazed at him with wide eyes, and Miss Peregrine looked concerned as well. Enoch, the oldest boy besides Hugh, was stiff with realization. Horace looked up at Hugh again, looking as if he were going to start crying again.

"I-I... I saw the wight c-cutting you open," Horace whimpered, and Hugh shuddered. He pulled Horace close again, hugging him tightly and fighting back tears. There was a reason he kept his past a secret from the younger children. It was dark, horrible, and sometimes disgusting. He still had nightmares about it it was so bad, and now Horace, little posh-but-innocent Horace had seen the worst parts of it. To his horror, some of the younger children started to sniffle on one, little Claire, burst into tears and ran from the room.

Horace looked up at the older teen, noticing the tears slowly making their way down his paling cheeks. He grimaced and tried to pull away; it was all his fault, Hugh crying. He shouldn't have said anything, and just faced the nightmare like he did all his other ones. Hugh wouldn't let go though, and when Horace noticed how badly he was shaking, he decided to leave him be and stay in his arms. Hugh relaxed visibly when Horace stopped struggling.

"Horace... I thought you said you couldn't see Hugh's past, that it was blocked from your visions," Miss Peregrine said slowly, eyeing her blonde ward skeptically. Horace sighed and shrugged, looking up at his headmistress. "That's what I thought too. I sort of wish it was true..." Horace's voice trailed off to a whisper. Miss Peregrine sighed and rubbed her temples, shaking her head slowly.

"I suggest we discuss this in the morning, once we're all good and rested. Horace, I'm sorry, but like all the others you need to show us Hugh's past, alright?" Miss Peregrine said. Hugh stiffened, but Horace still gave her a hesitant nod. Maybe this could help Hugh. If the others knew his story, maybe they would be kinder to him, and he'd open up like he used to.

"It's settled then. All of you off to bed, and we'll talk about this in the morning." Horace slipped off of Hugh's lap and rested a hand on his shoulder when he shakily got to his feet, trying to steady him. Enoch looked like he wanted to help as well, eyeing Hugh's pale and trembling body with a wary gaze. When he moved to help Hugh held up a hand, glaring at him slightly before stumbling forward towards the stairs.

"Don't,"he snapped when Horace gasped and grabbed his shoulder again. Ignoring the tears gathering in Horace's eyes once again, Hugh made his way up the stairs, his heart heavy.


	10. Chapter 10

Hugh didn't want to get up. He knew that the others were all waiting for him downstairs. Questions would be thrown, suspicions arise, and Hugh didn't know if he could handle it. He sighed and put on his black glasses to shield his white, nearly blind eyes and pulled the covers up to his chin. If someone came up to get him, he didn't want them to see his eyes. They'd think he was a wight, and they'd kick him out. He'd have to fend for himself like before, without Fiona or Liam this time. His eyes started tearing up and he sighed, curling up and burying his face in his pillow.

"Hugh? Are you awake?" Fiona said quietly, peeking her head into her lover's room. She sighed when she saw the sixteen year old boy curled up and whimpering in his bed like a small child. Brow furrowing, Fiona sat on the edge of Hugh's bed and smoothed his hair away from his forehead, kissing his quivering lips softly. Hugh seemed to relax and he sat up, hugging her from behind and nuzzling into her shoulder.

"I can't do this Fee," Hugh said softly, and Fiona nearly burst into tears when she felt how badly he was trembling. Expression hardening, Fiona turned and cupped Hugh's face in her hands, pressing her forehead to his in a silent gesture of reassurance. She stroked Hugh's tear stained cheek with her thumb and with her other hand, took off the goggle-like black glasses that covered his face. Hugh's eyes were clouded over and surrounded by scars, but she could sill faintly see that beautiful azure shade of them.

"You're the bravest person I know, Hugh. You sacrificed yourself for me and protected me after Liam was killed by the wight that... that hurt you. These people here love you, they won't hurt you or be afraid of you," Fiona said quietly, pressing soft kisses to Hugh's cheeks, nose, forehead, and lips. Hugh smiled softly and hugged her tightly, resting his head on top of hers. They sat in silence, embracing each other and letting the quietness work it's way into Hugh.

"I-I... I suppose since Horace knows, the others should as well," Hugh whispered, getting to his feet and pulling Fiona with him. He was still shaking, but he seemed more confident with Fiona's hand in his. As they made their way down the stairs, the loudness of the parlor's occupants grew louder and louder. Hugh's face paled and he almost ran back to his room to get his goggles, but Fiona held him firm. When the pair came to the end of the stairs, a collective gasp went up among the children, and even Enoch looked horrified. Horace quickly joined Hugh's side, grabbing his other hand.

One of the twins left their sibling's side, going up to Hugh. They stopped and stared at him for a moment, their head tilted slightly. Hugh felt uneasy; the doll-like faces painted on the sacks the twins wore over their heads were unnerving, and being stared at was so creepy. The twin chittered softly and enveloped Hugh's legs in a hug, and Hugh could have sworn he heard a soft sniffle. Biting his lip, he removed his hands from Fiona and Horace's grips and knelt down to give the twin a proper hug.

"Hugh, why don't we go into the kitchen? Enoch, Horace, Fiona, you all can come as well. The rest of you hurry on outside," Miss Peregrine said softly, and Hugh felt a bit of hope. He wasn't so sure he wanted Enoch of all people to know about his past, but it was better than having all of the children know. And, when literal years weren't taken into account, Hugh and Enoch were the same age, and Hugh had always wanted to somewhat befriend the boy. Maybe this was his chance.

Enoch looked less than pleased at Miss Peregrine's request, but he was actually quite curious about his loop brother's past. He wanted to know if it was as bad or worse as his; it was obviously terrible if Horace had been a sobbing mess last night, but he was a bit of a softie anyways. Horace cried when he predicted that a squirrel in their small garden was going to die. Still, Each couldn't shake the uneasiness in his stomach as he went into the kitchen with Miss peregrine, Horace, Hugh, and Fiona.


	11. Chapter 11

Enoch sat in a chair at the kitchen table, trying to ignore the queasiness in his stomach that still persisted. Hugh sat next to Fiona across from him, and Horace sat on his other side. Miss Peregrine remained standing, leaning slightly against the wooden cabinet that held all of their dishes and cups. Enoch noticed with keen eyes how badly Hugh was trembling, and he almost thought that he felt sympathetic for his loop brother.

"Hugh, would you like to begin? Or do you want me to show everyone?" Horace asked after a moment, gnawing on his bottom lip like gum. Hugh's face paled more than it already was, if that were even possible, and he quickly shook his head. Horace nodded in understanding and the occupants of the kitchen turned to Hugh, waiting for him to start, Fiona giving Hugh's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I always knew about peculiarities because both of my parents had them, and my older brother. His name was Liam," Hugh began. "When I was about ten years old, a hollow broke in to my home, and killed my mum and dad. It attacked me, blinded me, and was going to kill me, but Liam was just in time to save me," Hugh continued, his voice nothing more than a whisper. Enoch's eyes widened slightly and he tried not to show his concern, hiding his shaking hands under the table.

"The next four years or so were spent in our home, and nothing really happened. We ran into a few hollows, but Liam always managed to kill them. I met Fiona during that time, but we didn't actually become... you know, a couple until later." Both Hugh and Fiona's faces had flushed slightly, and Horace smiled as he remembered Hugh and Fiona's first kiss. Enoch looked curious, but nothing more.

"Liam got word from a friend that there were more hollows, and even wights coming after us, and we made a plan to escape. We knew about this loop from mum and dad, and the general direction to go in. We were making good time, and we were almost out of Ireland, but..." Hugh's voice trailed off and he closed his eyes, starting to shake again. Horace quickly embraced the older boy in an attempt to calm him, which worked somewhat. Enoch glanced between the three wards in front of him and that same queasy feeling returned.

"A hollow found us. It dragged Fiona away, and it was killing her. I ran after her and left Liam. I was... I was so scared, I didn't want her to die. When I found her she was hurt so badly I thought she wouldn't make it," Hugh whimpered, tears brimming in his clouded eyes. Enoch tensed, his eyes wide, and he hesitantly reached out and firmly grasped Hugh's shoulder. Hugh blinked, staring down at the teen's hand for a moment before looking back up at him. The bees in his stomach were buzzing loudly, and at first Enoch thought he had done something wrong. He quickly withdrew his hand and was about to apologize when he saw the small smile Hugh wore through his tears. He immediately relaxed, and was ready to listen once again.

"A wight came out of the trees and tried to take Fiona. I told him to take me instead, and to bring the hollow with him so I knew it wouldn't hurt her anymore. He agreed and told me we'd have lots of... lots of fun together. As we were leaving I saw Liam. He'd seen the whole thing. After healing Fiona he followed us, but I lost track of him for a while. Then we reached the wight's home." Horace went rigid, his eyes clenching shut. Hugh glanced at him forlornly, shaking his head slightly and sighing.

"The wight experimented on me," Hugh whispered, "and I never felt so scared in my life. He cut me open and stole my bees, keeping them in a jar. There was a hollow chained to the wall the whole time, a-and it kept trying to eat me, but the wight wouldn't let it kill me." Miss Peregrine tried to keep her face neutral, but even she had begun to look sick, her face turning green. Hugh was breathing raggedly and clutching the arms of his chair, shaking slightly and whimpering.

"T-The wight tested my physical and mental limits, doing pretty much anything to me its twisted mind could think of. Name any torture, and I'll bet you he did it on me," Hugh said, his voice starting to crack. Enoch felt anger begin to bubble up in his chest, and he resisted the urge to get up out of his seat and shout at Miss Peregrine. She knew everything. She could detect peculiars, she must have known where Hugh was. Why hadn't she saved him?! But Hugh wasn't finished, so Enoch remained frozen in his seat, his expression hard.

"Liam found us. He killed the wight but got me out before he could get the hollow. He healed me as best as he could, but I still have bad scars, and the place where the wight cut me open still hasn't quite healed," Hugh murmured. He lifted up his shirt slightly to reveal an angry red line going from the bottom of his stomach up to his chest, disappearing under the fabric. Enoch felt bile rising in his throat and put a hand over his mouth, trying to make the move look like he was in a thinking position.

"Y-You... You said Liam died. What happened? Did the hollow get him?" Enoch croaked, surprised at the emotion his voice held. This time, he knew he made the wrong move. Hugh started to sob and gripped at his hair, looking down with his elbows resting on the table. He was shaking and gasping, his eyes clenched shut as if he were trying not to panic. Enoch leaped to his feet and rushed to his side, not really knowing what to do, but wanting to help somehow. He hugged Hugh to his chest like he'd seen Miss Peregrine do to Horace whenever he began to panic, cradling his head with one hand and wrapping the other firmly around Hugh's waist. Hugh tried to pull away but Enoch wasn't giving up that easily. He held firm, and almost shouted for joy when Horace and Fiona joined the embrace. Their grips were much gentler, and Enoch followed their example, easing his grip on Hugh slightly. Said boy sobbed, surrendering to their affections and burying his face in Enoch's shoulder.

Enoch hesitated before burying his face on Hugh's hair and gently rubbing his back, reminding himself of what his mother used to do to him when he had a nightmare. He closed his eyes and concentrated entirely on trying to get Hugh to calm down, and ignored the fact that a few tears had escaped the confines of his eyes and were slowly tracking down his face. This was about Hugh, not him. He realized with a start that he actually felt compassion for the other boy, and maybe even love. Purely platonic love, but love all the same. Was this what Hugh and Horace felt for each other? The thought made Enoch almost scowl. Of course not. Hugh wouldn't begin to feel this way for him in a million years. But as Hugh clung to him like lifeline as he cried, Enoch was able to pretend, just for a moment, that he did.


	12. Chapter 12

When Hugh had calmed down slightly, he pulled away from the others and quickly wiped his eyes, his face bright red from embarrassment and his eyes puffy and swollen from crying. Horace studied the older boy, slightly confused about his embarrassment. Yes, he was older, but he needn't be ashamed for crying. Even Enoch held a slight ir of concern, although his sudden display of affection earlier didn't really make it a surprise.

"I'm sorry," Hugh muttered, "for making you all so upset." Hugh turned to Horace, his eyes swimming with tears. "I kept my past a secret, but I shouldn't have. I-If I had said something, you wouldn't have seen it... God, Horace, I'm so sorry!" Hugh buried his head in his hands, guilt and fear gnawing away at him and making him wish the ground could just swallow him up. He'd kept his past a secret to protect the others, to keep them from being afraid of what could happen to them if they left the loop, but he just hurt them more.

Enoch stared at the other teen in surprise, shock, and sympathy, wanting to say something to make him feel better but not really able to find the words. Hugh was blaming himself for something he couldn't help, and it made him... angry, to say the least. Enoch wasn't used to feeling emotions so strongly, but even he had a soft spot for the boy with the bees, as Abe called him before he'd left them. He always tried to be friends with him, or help him when he made those hideous dolls of his, and Enoch had never known why. Hugh was just a kindhearted soul, despite his sarcastic, rash, and open-minded nature.

"It's not your fault, Hugh! I wouldn't have wanted to share my past if it was that bad either!" Horace said, his tone almost scolding. Hugh refused to let lat comfort him and rubbed his watery eyes, shaking his head. Miss Peregrine tried to stop him as he pushed past them all and into the parlor, but Hugh pushed her hands away when she tried to touch his shoulder, his eyes narrowing.

"Don't touch me," Hugh hissed, and he sent even Fiona a glare when she opened her mouth to speak. He stormed up the stairs, startling the younger children that had been waiting in the parlor, and slammed his bedroom door shut behind him. Hugh collapsed on his bed, quickly grabbing his goggles and putting them back on over his eyes. He immediately felt calmer, less exposed, but the tears hadn't stopped. He growled and pulled the goggles up onto his forehead and plopped down onto the the bed, covering his face with his hands and breathing shakily.

"What is _wrong with me?!"_ Hugh shrieked, moving his hands from his face to grab at his hair, his teeth bared and his eyes wide. He was pushing everyone away, something he had never wanted to do. He hated being alone, but that's what he was doing. Hugh wouldn't be surprised if Fiona was through with him, done trying to fix him. He just wanted to put his past to rest, for Horace, Enoch, and Miss Peregrine to just forget what they'd heard and seen. He was done. Hugh's bees had become unbearably loud, in both their buzzing and their thoughts swarming into his mind. His ears were ringing and he groaned when they all tried to talk to him at once.

"Get out!" Hugh snarled, and he opened his mouth wide. His bees obeyed, swarming together on the ceiling and walls. Hugh was crying again as he ordered them outside through the crack in his window pane, starting to shake as his room became eerily quite. He hugged his knees to his chest, burying his face in them and sobbing softly. He didn't want to be alone, he wanted to order his bees to come back. They were his friends, his family even. He could tell them anything. But, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Hugh looked up with his teary eyes to see that his bees rested silently outside his window, waiting for him to call them back in.

"I said get out!" Hugh yelled again, a pain in his gut so intense twisting and churning inside of him. He watched with dull eyes as his bees reluctantly complied, and Hugh got the eerie feeling that they weren't coming back this time, even if he called to them. He started to sob again, burying his head in his knees and rocking back and forth. Maybe they'd be better off, find a hive to live in and serve a queen. They could all be happier without Hugh, wouldn't they?

And that's when it hit Hugh. _Everyone would be happier without him._ Yes, they were a family, they cared about each other, and they loved each other, but Hugh just got in the way. He'd hurt all of their feelings without meaning to, even little Claire, the youngest in the house. This had been the last straw. His dark, gloomy, horrific past had been revealed in a way that had just hurt everyone, that had hurt Horace, the closest thing he'd had to a brother since Liam died.

"What is wrong with me?!" Hugh wailed again, and he was almost tempted to let out a scream. This had to stop. He couldn't keep hurting everyone. He... He had to leave. Wiping his eyes, Hugh let go of his legs and let them sprawl out across his bed. His tears had stopped flowing, so he slowly pulled his goggles back over his eyes. His expression was firm, hard and sure as he reached his decision. He had to leave.

Hugh quickly pulled his trunk out from under his bed. There were no dressers in his room so all of his clothes were already packed. He shoved his few belongings into his trunk, including a leather necklace Fiona had made for him that he never wore, a spyglass, and a few coins he salvaged from under the rugs and down in the basement. Hugh hesitated, staring at the jumbled up contents of his trunk. Maybe he should at least explain... leave a note or something. He shook his head; it would just help them find him. Looking around his room one last time, he opened his window and crawled down the vine that grew beside it, taking off across the lawn before he could be spotted.

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 **Well, there's that chapter! Sorry if it seems a bit thrown together, I was really just throwing stuff together to get to this point. I hope you allenjoy! Don't forget to FF &R!**


	13. Chapter 13

"Someone should check on him," Miss Peregrine murmured after a few moments of stunned silence, still staring blankly at the door frame Hugh had rushed through moments earlier. Fiona and Horace exchanged a glance before rushing off, leaving a stunned Enoch and Miss Peregrine in their wake. Enoch sank into a chair, his face white as a sheet. He let out a shaky sigh and braced his chin on his hand, his eyes half-closed. Miss Peregrine joined him, taking her oldest ward by his free hand and squeezing in gently.

"Hugh will be alright, Enoch. He just needs time," Miss Peregrine reassured him with a soft smile. Enoch's lip twitched upward slightly and he looked away, pulling his hand away from hers slightly. Miss Peregrine hesitated before letting go and folding her hands neatly across her lap. The two peculiars sat in silence, waiting anxiously for Horace and Fiona to come back, hopefully with a bit of good news.

A shrill scream pierced the air and Enoch shot out of his chair, his eyes wide with sheer terror. He bolted out of the kitchen and up the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest, threatening to burst out at any moment. He shoved the door to Hugh's room open and stormed in, his eyes widening in horror at what he saw. Horace was kneeling in the middle of the floor, staring at nothing and twitching violently. Fiona had collapsed on Hugh's bed, clutching his pillowing and sobbing into it. The window had been shattered, smears of blood and tatters of the familiar white shirt Hugh always wore lingering there.

"W-What happened?" Enoch asked, knowing full well that neither of the younger teens would have any idea. Fiona sobbed and hiccuped softly, looking at Enoch with wide eyes and quivering lips. "Hugh's g-gone! I don't... I-I don't know where he w-went! There's no n-note or _anything!"_ Fiona wailed. Enoch quickly sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her to comfort her, but his eyes were fixed on the twitching boy kneeling on the hard wooden floor.

"Horace? Horace, what is it?" Enoch asked, his voice a harsh whisper. Horace turned his head slowly to look at him, and Enoch almost screamed in horror. Horace's eyes were black and lifeless, his mouth twisted into a deep scowl. Enoch hesitantly reached out a shaky hand to touch Horace's face, confused and terrified at the odd transformation. Is this what Horace turned into when he saw the future? What was going on?! Horace suddenly screamed and his eyes returned to normal. His breath came out in unsteady, quick pants, and he was glancing frantically around the room.

"He's... He's going to get himself killed!" Horace shrieked, his eyes filling with tears as he shot to his feet. "A-At the ferry! Hollows... w-wights... They'll find him! They'll kill him!" Horace was babbling frantically now, tearing at his blonde hair and pacing anxiously back and forth. "O-Or... Or he kills himself... drowning... Oh, God, Enoch, what do we do?!" Horace wailed, throwing himself at the older boy and sobbing hysterically. "He can't die! Hugh can't die! H-He... He..." Enoch ignored Horace's ramblings despite they dread they conjured up and grabbed Horace by the shoulders.

"We're going to find him, alright? We'll save Hugh," Enoch said, his expression firm. To his surprise, Horace nodded frantically and grabbed his and Fiona's hands before dashing out of the room and running down the stairs with the two of them in tow. He called desperately for their headmistress until she flew before them and transformed into her human form. An irritated look decorated her pretty, wise face, but her eyes held her concern.

"What is it Horace? Did you check on Hugh?" asked Miss Peregrine. The mention of his loop brother's name sent Horace spiraling back into sobbing hysterics. The other three tried their best to calm the prophetic boy down, somewhat succeeding only when Enoch held him and mentioned that they could help Hugh if Miss Peregrine knew what had happened. So Horace explained the visions that had come crashing down on him upon entering Hugh's room, clinging to Enoch's sleeve for support the entire time.

"He'll either be killed by hollows or kill himself by drowning," Miss Peregrine whispered to herself, her eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Enoch, Fiona, Horace, the other children must not be made aware of this. Understood?" The wards nodded in understanding. "Right. The four of us will search for him. We must find him as quickly as possible, before it's too late."


	14. Chapter 14

Hugh stared at the water with no expression, his suitcase gripped loosely in his limp hand. He was waiting for the ferry to come, his ticket tucked in his back pocket, but staring at the water was starting to give him other ideas. It would be so much easier to just go in, let the water envelope his body like the town's Bog Boy. Hugh knew if he died the others would be devastated, but there would be no chance of them coming to find him. Hugh wouldn't get dragged back to a place he didn't belong.

"I'll just keep hurting everybody," Hugh whispered hoarsely. As he stepped down closer to the water, it lapped at his feet in an almost hungry fashion, soaking his shoes. Hugh shivered when he felt how cold it was, but that made him glad. He didn't exactly know how the body worked, but he was pretty sure that he would die faster in the cold water. Taking a shaky breath, he started to wade in.

He heard several of the other people waiting for ferries call after him. Some of them sounded panicked, others more annoyed. A dry smile spread across Hugh's lips as he ignored them. He was shaking from the cold water, now in it up to his hips. He could do it here, maybe. But no, it would be too easy for him to bob back to the surface or for someone to drag him back out. So Hugh pressed onward.

By the time the water was up to Hugh's chest he was shaking violently, every inch of his body feeling as if it were frozen. He was crying too, and still clutching his suitcase like a lifeline in his hand. He reluctantly let go and let the suitcase sink into the ocean. _Just a little farther,_ Hugh thought. _Just a little farther, and all of this will be over. I'll see Liam, mom, and dad again. We'll be a family again._ Hugh looked up at the blue, bright sky for one last time. He smiled at the sight of the puffy white clouds, the blue sky, the chirping of he birds. It was a good day to die; a beautiful, sunny day.

As his head disappeared under the water, he could have sworn he saw a magnificent peregrine falcon flying low, searching for something it had lost. His heart suddenly seized with fear at the thought of it being his headmistress, he frantically began inhaling as much water as he could, trying to hurry the process of his death. His clothes weighed him down, which he was grateful for. Hugh's body began to violently jerk, his throat was burning, his heart was beating sluggishly. It was almost time.

To say that Hugh wasn't scared would be false. He was terrified of dying, but there was no other way. Everything hurt, and he wanted to breathe so badly, but he kept himself down under the water, inhaling and gasping. His vision grew blurry and he almost smiled. It was time. He was going to pass on. He felt as if he was being lifted out of the water, and he saw a bright light. Someone was calling his name, a familiar voice, but one he couldn't quite place. He closed his eyes, and let himself be swallowed up by the light.


	15. Chapter 15

Hugh walked into the light and gasped, his eyes opening wide as he stared out at the vast landscape before him. Hills colored like a fresh batch of mint rolled as far as the eye could see. There was no sun, but hanging globes cast a cheerful glow, lighting up the world like it was noon-day. There were no flowers, trees, or any other sort of plants except for the brilliant grass growing on the hills that gave them their minty color. There were no birds singing, or insects buzzing about, or animals either, and Hugh decided that it was a very lonely place to be in.

The one living thing that Hugh did see sent his heart racing, made his palms begin to sweat, and tears well up in his eyes. A group of three people, all of the standing shoulder to shoulder, stood at the top of the hill Hugh was in front of. Hugh should not have been able to see their faces because of how far away they were, but he could make out every detail. The way their eyes twinkled as they smiled down at him, their black hair hanging down around their faces in various lengths. They wore clothing from days hardly anyone remembers now, very plain and modest looking.

Hugh ran up the hill as fast as he could, never growing tired despite how steep it was, and flung himself into the arms of his family. His mother, father, and Liam embraced the youngest Apiston tightly, none of them saying anything. Hugh looked up at the three of them, grinning widely as a few tears escaped his eyes. His mother smiled back at him warmly, running her fingers through his hair gently. His father had the same smile on his face, as did Liam.

"I can't believe it! It's been so long. I... I thought I'd never see you again," Hugh said quietly, his voice breaking. Liam's expression softened and he pulled Hugh closer, nuzzling into his younger brother's hair and sighing softly. Hugh was slightly disturbed at the silence of his family, but all he really cared about was the fact that he was here, with them, after decades of agonizing loneliness and suffering.

But when Hugh looked up at his family again, his smile faded, then vanished, and was replaced with a look of pure horror. The warm smiles on each of his family member's faces had turned to sneers. Their faces were scarred and mangled, hardly any part of them recognizable. Hugh gasped in pain as surprise as Liam's suddenly claw-like nails dug into his back, and a dark, twisted chuckle came from his lips. Hugh tried to push away from him, but the ground beneath his feet had grown murky and black. All beauty was gone, replaced by charcoal ground and a blood red sun.

Hugh screamed as his father grinned, revealing rows and rows of razor sharp teeth. The ground was swallowing up his feet, bubbling up with black tar and thick, red liquid. Hugh's mother and father laughed, a sound that resembled the shrieking of bats. Only Liam looked down at his younger brother with a slightly worried expression. He almost held out a hand to Hugh, to pull him back out of the bubbling hot tar, but he grinned wickedly and withdrew his hand at the last second. Hugh screamed again as he was completely consumed by the tar, his head sucked under with the rest of his body.

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 **Well... um... that was supposed to be a happy, family reunion sort of chapter. Gosh, why is my mind so twisted?! *SCREECHES* Anywhooooo, hope you guys enjoyed that! Don't forget to FF &R?**


	16. Chapter 16

"Hugh! Hugh, wake up!" Fiona was screaming frantically as she dragged the limp body of her lover out of the water. Tears dribbled down her face like rain on a hot summer day, thick and hot. Horace and Enoch, hearing her desperate screams, ran from where they had been searching the beach to help her get the bee boy out of the water.

Hugh's face was completely drained of color and his lips were a dark shade of blue. Dark circles loomed under and around his eyes. He made no sound, no movement at all, and Enoch could tell by touching the boy that he was dead. His mouth hung open of its own accord and he laid limply in Enoch's arms as they settled back down on the beach. Enoch stared down at the other teen in shock, horror, and guilt. They hadn't made it. Hugh was dead; gone.

"No," Horace whispered, tears filling his eyes as he stared down at the one he called a brother. "He can't... He can't be..." Horace's voice broke and he squeezed his eyes shut, his lip quivering as he continued to be in denial. Fiona looked more shocked than all of them together, sitting on her knees with her arms folded across her lap and staring at Hugh's limp body with a blank expression.

"Enoch... we can... you could bring him back, right?" Fiona murmured in a choked whisper. Enoch lips pursed and he shook his head. "No. I couldn't do that to him." Horace shot to his feet, the grief in his eyes replaced with burning anger.

"What do you mean you can't?! Bring him back!" Horace screeched. Enoch flinched but kept his face blank, shaking his head. "No. Not after what happened with Victor. I won't do that to him," Enoch snapped. Horace sniffled softly and looked down at his feet, made solemn by the mention of their other friend.

"We need to get him back to the house," Fiona said, pulling Hugh's limp form gently until it was propped up against her. Without a word, Enoch bent down and picked up the slightly taller boy, grunting a bit from his weight, but shifting him slightly into a more carry-able position.

"Let's go. People are staring," Enoch said curtly, nodding at Fiona and Horace before turning and walking off.

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 **Wow... I am ashamed. That was really short. I'm sorry guys. I hope you still liked it! Don't forget to FF &R!**


	17. Chapter 17

Miss Peregrine knew what had happened before her wards had even stepped foot inside the loop. She ushered all of the younger children to bed, dimmed the lights, and locked their doors. Hugh was well beloved among all of the children, and Miss Peregrine didn't want any of them to see him until the morning. She waited patiently at the door, trying to keep her face void of all emotions.

She remembered the day Hugh first came to her. He was only thirteen then, accompanied by a girl named Fiona, blind, and so scared Miss Peregrine still wondered to this day how he hadn't completely lost his sanity. She took him under his wing, healing his eyes and giving him his goggles when he said they made him remember the wights, and he didn't want the other children to be afraid and think he was one.

He had immediately been a great help in the gardens. Because of the loop, it wasn't very common for bees to come and pollinate anything. The flowers, vegetables, and other plants had been dying, but that changed when Hugh and Fiona came. Miss Peregrine loved the pair as if they were her own children and took care of them, helping them with their abilities and teaching them how to use them properly.

Miss peregrine still remembered Hugh's screams. His nightmares were horrible, filled with pain and sadness and memories he wanted to forget. She never went to him because the first time she did Hugh had exploded with anger, sending his bees after her for hours. She waited til morning to talk to him, and she always would. Hugh was her child, her ward, _her son,_ and she would not let him be hurt. But now, he was dead.

Tears filled Miss Peregrine's eyes and she didn't try to wipe them away. She cried shamelessly, silently, waiting for Horace, Fiona, and Enoch to arrive with Hugh's body. She spotted them in the yard, clustered close together and weeping over the loss of their friend. They all looked as if they were in shock, their faces almost as pale as that of the boy in Enoch's arms. Miss Peregrine leaned against the frame of the doorway, watching as her wards approached.

"Take him to the parlor. I'll be there in a moment," Miss Peregrine whispered. Enoch nodded, looking down at the ground as he carried Hugh past his mentor. Horace followed close behind, but Fiona stayed completely still on the steps. Tears ran down her face like the sprinklings of a waterfall, never ending and cold. Miss Peregrine drew her girl close to her, kissing her forehead and running a hand through her hair. The headmistress and the child mourned together, both torn apart by the loss of someone precious to them.

"Shall we go in?" Miss Peregrine asked Fiona. The flower girl nodded silently, taking her headmistress' hand and slowly making her way towards the parlor. Miss Peregrine followed, knowing she couldn't keep denying in her mind that Hugh was gone. When they reached the parlor Enoch was setting Hugh down on one of the couches, smoothing his damp hair away from his face and looking down at him with a lost look in his eyes. Horace stood behind him, hiccuping softly and wiping his eyes viciously in an attempt to stop the tears. Miss Peregrine briefly rested her hand on his shoulder as she walked by before kneeling at Enoch's side.

"My boy," Miss Peregrine whispered, resting a hand on Hugh's stone cold cheek. She swallowed back the lump forming in her throat. "You were too pure for this world, too kind and precious. I'm sorry you had to leave this way my dear. I love you," Miss Peregrine murmured. She bent down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, lingering for a moment. She didn't want to let him go. A small part of Miss Peregrine told her that Hugh would come back, that this wasn't the end, but they were the foolish wishes of a pretend mother. Miss Peregrine heard a soft sob beside her and looked up to see Enoch bowing his head, tears gathering on his lashes and falling to the carpet as he sobbed quietly.

"Oh, Enoch," she breathed, embracing her now oldest boy beside her. Enoch clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder and sobbing openly. "Sh, sh, it's alright. Hugh isn't hurting anymore. He's safe now. He's with his family again," Miss Peregrine soothed, but that just made her boy sob harder. He grabbed at the back of her dress, twisting the fabric in his fists as he tried to calm himself. He was the oldest once again. He couldn't be weak like this. But he had lost a brother, a friend that he had only just received.

"It isn't fair," Enoch whimpered softly. Miss Peregrine closed her eyes and placed a hand on the back of Enoch's head, rubbing it gently and rocking slightly. She knew that it wasn't fair, but there was no way to prevent what had happened. Victor was gone, Abe had left them, and now Hugh was gone too. Miss Peregrine felt herself begin to cry again and she looked up to see Fiona and Horace standing close together, their hands clasped tightly as they stared at the two kneeling at Hugh's side.

It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. But, there was nothing they could do to change it.


	18. Chapter 18

Hugh gasped for breath as he finally emerged from the black gunk that had sucked him into the ground. He wiped himself off the best he could, still sticky and feeling like he couldn't breath. Well, he was dead, so he didn't exactly need to breathe. He wiped the tar off of his goggles and put them back on, looking around at the new world before him. He was surrounded entirely by mirrors, but none of the showed his reflection

There were others in the room, each of them standing at their own mirror. They watched the scenes flashing by in them with pale faces and weary eyes, as if they had been staring at them for years. Hugh stepped forward nervously, looking for an empty mirror, wondering what he would find. Would it show his life if he hadn't died? Hugh hoped it didn't. High passed by several familiar people; friends from his past life that had died, a bartender from his birth town, the boys that had beaten him when he was a child. He even thought he saw an old school teacher of his, but he wasn't sure.

Hugh found an empty mirror and stood before it. For a moment, it stayed blank and Hugh wondered if he was doing it wrong, but a picture soon began to appear in the mirror. Hugh recognized the parlor of the Peregrine home and he smiled, thinking of his old home. His smile faded as the scene cleared completely though, and his breathing hitched in shock. Enoch and Miss Peregrine were sobbing in each other's arms and kneeling beside the couch where his limp body lay. Horace was hugging Fiona tightly, letting her sob onto his shoulder while he himself cried silently.

"No..." Hugh whispered, pressing a hand against the mirror. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The others were supposed to be happy that he was gone, happy that they didn't have to suffer or feel pain because of him every again. They weren't supposed to be sad and crying like this!

"IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY!" Hugh screamed, slamming his fists against the mirror. It refused to break, only vibrating slightly under the force of his fists. "Nothing ever is," the young teen beside Hugh murmured, staring at his own scene in a mirror. His blue eyes were fixed on a family that was crying as a coffin was laid into the ground. The moment the coffin disappeared, the scene repeated itself.

"W-What... What is this place?" Hugh croaked, and the blonde boy's chapped lips crackled in a weak smile. "It's our punishment. We killed ourselves, now we have to see what we did to the people we loved. Forever," he whispered. Hugh's face drained of color and he looked back at the mirror, watching stone-hearted Enoch, gorgeous Fiona, innocent Hugh, and motherly Miss Peregrine crying because of him. If Hugh could cry, he would be sobbing. But he was dead, so he couldn't.


	19. Chapter 19

Enoch had locked himself in his room and was making more of his dolls in a desperate attempt to distract himself. Fiona had gone outside and was sitting under a tree, a far off look in her eyes as flowers died around her. Horace was in his room as well, looking through the photo album Miss Peregrine kept of the children, stopping whenever he came across a picture of Hugh. Miss Peregrine was in her study, occupying herself with any work she could find in order to forget the task at hand. The house was silent.

Hugh's body remained on the couch. None of the wards, nor their headmistress, had the heart to move it. Hugh looked... peaceful, if that was appropriate to say, and none of them could even look at him without bursting into tears. To everyone's surprise, Enoch was the most sensitive and couldn't even be in the same room as Horace or Fiona. His hands shook as he stared down at his work-in-progress doll with red, puffy, and tired eyes. His usual neat brown hair was scruffy looking and tangled. Enoch's clothing was ruffled and the dim light of the candle on his working desk barely illuminated his stormy eyes.

Enoch just couldn't accept the fact that Hugh was dead. He had always gotten on a bit better with the fellow teen than with the other occupants of the house, and whenever Enoch was in one of his worse moods, Hugh was still there. When little Olive wasn't helping him in his workshop Hugh would help. Now Enoch had no one but Olive, Miss Peregrine, and maybe Horace, but it was too soon to tell whether or not the boy wanted to be friends with him, and he couldn't just go up and ask him if they were friends; not in a time like this. Enoch could only think of one way he, personally, could make this better, but it wasn't an option.

The dark eyed sixteen year old looked at his collection of jarred hearts in an almost longing way, his hand holding his pliers twitching slightly. It would be so easy to bring Hugh back, if only for a few minutes, if it was only to see him again. But then Enoch remembered Victor, and his blood ran cold. Victor suffered and cried whenever Enoch awoke him. Enoch hurt one friend when they were supposed to be resting, he couldn't do that to Hugh too.

Enoch's hand kept twitching. His eyes were beginning to burn as well. He growled lowly under his breath and slammed the pliers down, resting his forehead in his palms and groaning softly. The burning in his eyes got worse and he heard a soft whimper. He didn't realize it was his own until he saw something wet drip onto his desk, and touched his cheek to discover tears rolling down his cheeks. Enoch howled in frustration and slammed his fists onto his desk, making his pliers fall to the ground.

Enoch's entire body was shaking as he stared at the jars with renewed longing, tears still streaming down his cheeks. Gah, he was being so stupid. Even if he brought Hugh back, it wouldn't be the real Hugh. It would be a mere shadow, a a _ghost_ of his friend. Enoch's breath hitched into a sob and he clamped a hand over his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to compose himself. It was late; he didn't want to wake any of the others.

"Enoch?" Too late. Enoch quickly wiped his eyes and stood up abruptly, turning to face the door. Fiona's face just barely peeked past the door frame, her own cheeks streaked with tears and her shoulders trembling. Enoch blinked and cautiously approached the crying girl, placing a hand on her shoulder studying her. She had obviously been sleeping moments before, with her hair mussed and in her pajamas, so why was she awake?

"I was... I was wondering if I could stay in here with you tonight? I-I've never been alone at night before, and I'm scared. I was always with..." Fiona's voice trailed off and she quickly turned her head away to keep Enoch from seeing her crying. Enoch found himself taking the girl's hand and guiding her to his bed, giving her what he assumed was a smile.

"Of course you can sleep here. I might be up working for a while, is that alright with you?" Enoch said, keeping his voice low. Fiona smiled through her tears, nodding. She kissed Enoch's cheek in thanks before climbing into his bed, pulling up the covers to her chin and closing her eyes. She was snoring softly in minutes. Enoch smiled a little and turned back to his work, his eyes still frozen on his jars. He clenched his jaw, glancing briefly at the girl sleeping in his bed. This would hurt Fiona too... He couldn't do it.

Or could he? Enoch closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. His eyes were glinting with a determined light as he stood up. He grabbed a pickled cow heart, casting one last glance at Fiona before making his way swiftly up the stairs. He had to do this. There was no way he couldn't.

* * *

 **I know it's a bit short... I hope you still liked it! Don't forget to FF &R!**


	20. Chapter 20

Enoch stood next to the couch where Hugh laid, his head bowed and his shoulders shaking. In his hand he held the pickled cow heart, and in his heart he held an inner battle of right and wrong. He knew if he brought Hugh back from the dead there would be consequences, and nothing could possibly last for long. Hugh would sink back into the afterlife and Enoch's newfound and swiftly taken friend would be gone again. Enoch glanced at the other boy's pale, lifeless face and his stomach lurched. Enoch had never minded death, but now... he couldn't bear it.

 _I have to do this... I have to,_ Enoch thought, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. He moved to kneel at Hugh's head and furrowed his eyebrows in deep concentration. He ran a hand through the thick brown locks, his eyes sad as he got no response from his friend. Enoch gritted his teeth and concentrated harder, tried to imagine the powerful heartbeat that would bring his friend back to life. His closed his eyes as the heart in his hand began to pulse and he could feel himself shaking, but he couldn't stop now.

Enoch was breathing hard, sweat gathering on his brow. The heart in his hand was beating rapidly, but nothing was happening. Hugh's body remained stiff and cold, un-moving and lifeless. Enoch fought back the sob in his throat pressed his hand down hard on Hugh's chest, gripping the heart in his other hand at the same time. _Please work, please, don't fail me now. Come back Hugh, please..._

Enoch's eyes snapped open wide as he heard a loud coughing and a gasp, and he nearly dropped the beating heart in his hand as Hugh sat bolt upright, eyes wild and filled with fear as he glanced around the room, gripping the armrest of the couch with all of his might. Enoch stared at the teenager with disbelief, his eyes wide but his jaw set in a firm line and refusing to gape open. Hugh panted, clutching his chest and blinking rapidly.

"W-What... What just happened? I-I thought I..." Hugh's voice trailed off and his hushed tone became nonexistent. He turned slowly to stare at Enoch, his eyes going big as he spotted the cow heart in his friend's hand. Tears welled up in Hugh's eyes and his lip began to quiver. Enoch tentatively reached forward and touched Hugh's cheek, brushing it softly as if he were checking to make sure that his friend was really alive, and this wasn't just another one of his nightmares that kept him from sleep. There was silence as the two young men stared at each other, dazed and in disbelief.

Hugh broke the silence with a loud sob and flung himself at Enoch, wrapping his arms around him and knocking both of them to the floor. Enoch cried in in terror as the heart fell from his hand and looked at the sobbing boy on his chest with fear, expecting him to go back to his lifeless state, but Hugh kept on crying, arms wrapped around Enoch and his face buried in his neck. Enoch's eyes began to burn with tears and he hugged Hugh with the same amount of ferocity and desperation as the other was hugging him, choked sobs falling from his lips almost as fast as the tears fell from his eyes. Hugh was alive... Hugh was alive!


	21. Author’s Note

I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story. I have no idea where to go with it, sadly, so I think I might have to end it here. If you guys want it to continue the next chapter will be the last. Please comment ideas as I have no plans for where to go with this story.


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